The invention relates to a conveying device for a gathering section used for the further processing of printed products, wherein the device includes a plurality of saddle-type segments which respectively form a saddle-shaped roof for supporting printed products during a conveying operation, and wherein pusher segments respectively form a rear end stop for conveying of the printed products. Conveying devices of this type have long been known and are used for the assembling and processing of printed products, in particular printed sheets. The opened printed sheets are deposited on the conveying device, for example with the aid of feeders, and are conveyed while respectively pushed along by a pusher segment. If a plurality of such feeders are positioned along the gathering section, the printed sheets can be assembled, for example to form a brochure. The assembled printed sheets can then be stitched together, for example in a processing station.
The problem with conveying devices of this type has long been that with high conveying speeds, the transport of the printed sheets can be interrupted as a result of the sheets bouncing back from the pusher or fluttering up. This interruption in particular restricts the conveying speed and thus the output of this type of conveying device and/or gathering section, especially if the printed sheets are made of comparably thin paper.
European patent document EP-A-0 881 180 discloses a conveying device with pushers that are inclined forward in the running direction. These pushers are embodied to resemble upward-pointing fingers and are intended to favorably influence the impact behavior of the printed sheets when the sheets are deposited on the conveying device and/or the gathering chain. In particular, this embodiment of the angled and upward pointing pushers is designed to redirect an upward bounding, fluttering printed product back onto the conveying device.